Marry Me
by junkpuppet225
Summary: A prequel to Jesse's life before he broke bad. One shot. Jesse/OC Friendship fic. Spoilers for the end of the series.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Marry Me

Rated: M for language.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Breaking Bad or Thomas Rhett's song "Marry Me". I'm not making any money from the writing of this fan fic.

Author's Note: Sometimes when I hear a song it makes me think of a particular show or movie I like and puts a thought in my head about a fanfic. I heard this song and this is what I came up with. Enjoy and please leave a review - it fuels me and my future works. ✌

Xx

 _She wants to get married_

 _She wants it perfect_

 _She wants her granddaddy,_

 _Preaching the service._

 _She wants magnolias,_

 _Out in the country._

 _Not too many people,_

 _Save her daddy some money._

 _Ooh, she's got it all planned out._

 _Yeah, I can see it all right now._

A six year old Jesse Pinkman hit another hot wheels car with a borrowed hammer - causing the toy to explode into pieces. He glanced up as the eccentric girl next door stumbled down her front porch steps wearing a sparkling dress over colorful tights and oversized shoes. Her grandmother's gawky jewelry hung from her neck; she looked ridiculous but her smile was infectious.

The girl closed the distance between them quickly all blonde curls and blue eyes to large for her pretty face. "Hi Brandon." She said causing Jesse to glance over at the bushy haired boy hiding behind a tree. "Hi Brooke." Badger muttered before jumping on his bike and taking off back down the street to his own yard. Brooke giggled, grabbing Jesse by the hand as she drug him across the yard to her house.

"I'm playing mechanic! I don't want to do _girl_ stuff." He groaned as she sat him down at her tea set table and turned to choose one of her dad's ties for him to wear. "This one is perfect." She assured and placed the oversized black tie over his head.

"Come on - the guys are going to see." Jesse whined, pulling at the tie as she tightened it around his neck. "You promised Jesse."

He rolled his eyes again, glancing down the street to see if Brandon and Christian were watching. Luckily it was just him and Brooke for now.

"Ok. Stand over here and I'll walk down here to you. Pretend there's lots of pretty music."

Jesse stood completely still watching as she put some space between them before turning and walking carefully towards him in her moms high heels. After a moment she stood in front of him again clutching garden flowers in her hands.

Jesse found himself smiling before quickly returning to his disgust for this whole ordeal.

"Do you Jesse take me, Brooklynn Amanda Thorn to be your awfully wedding wife and give me all your cookies and protect me in justice for all?"

Jesse could only stare at the pretty girl before him.

"You have to say "I do"." Brooke whispered as he glanced around again. "I do." He muttered causing her to burst into a fit of giggles. "Ok. I do too. Now by all the powers rested in me I now pronounce us married."

"That's not even how it goes."

"Yes it is!"

"Yo Jesse!"

Christian parked his bike in Jesse's yard and raised his arms as if to ask what he was doing.

"You hav'ta kiss me!" Brooke assured as the scrawny boy squirmed away from her grasp.

"No way! I gotta go."

Jesse pulled the tie off quickly - nearly hanging himself as he threw it down and ran across the yard laughing with Brooke chasing after him - her mothers heels long forgotten on the abandoned porch.

X

 _I remember the night when,_

 _I almost kissed her._

 _Yeah I kinda freaked out,_

 _We've been friends for forever._

 _I always wondered, if she felt the same way?_

Ten years later.

Jesse nudged Brooke with his arm as he sat down beside her on top of a worn picnic table and pulled a perfectly rolled joint from his pocket. She watched him carefully but made no comment as he lit it and brought it to his lips; taking a long deep drag.

"Where's the guys?" She asked, idly wondering where his shadows - Combo, Badger and Skinny Pete - were hiding. They usually weren't to far away from their precious leader. "Not here." Jesse muttered, holding the smoke in his lungs as long as possible before he exhaled quickly - offering her the joint.

Brooke declined; pulling her chemistry book out of her bag. She was a straight arrow - perfect grades, beautiful smart and funny - why she spent all her free time with a fuck up like him Jesse would never know.

They had found this spot freshmen year - behind the bleachers of the baseball field. Hidden from everything it was the best place to smoke and sell drugs.

"I've got a test after lunch." Brooke muttered as he took the joint back, "You do too - actually." Adding, as if Jesse gave a shit about his chemistry grade.

"Yo, fuck Mr. White."

Brooke laughed, shaking her head. "You're going to fail his class then you won't graduate and we won't get to go to college together or move to Alaska."

"I don't need college to take you to Alaska."

Brooke rolled her eyes again causing Jesse to laugh. "Whatever. You don't need to study anyway you're smart as hell - smarter than boring ass Mr. White" Jesse grabbed her book causing her to laugh and grab at his arm; trying to wrestle it from his grasp.

After a minute he let her jerk the book away from him - staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. Brooke grinned, pinning a piece of blonde hair behind her ear as he leaned into her - searching her eyes for any sign of rejection as their mouths nearly touched.

"Yo Jesse!"

Jesse groaned as Combo came into view; Badger close behind. Brooke sat up straighter on the picnic table and began gathering her belongings.

"Was y'all about to..."

"No! Fuck, what do y'all want? I told you to wait for me by my locker."

Combo and Badger just grinned like idiots watching as Brooke stood from the table quickly - muttering something about being late for class. Jesse could only watch her leave.

X

Five years later.

Jesse sat on the same picnic table now a drop out of J.P Wynne High School wearing wrinkled black pants and a buttoned down black shirt that was cuffed at the elbows. He looked as miserable as he felt - coming down hard from a three day meth high. The news of his aunt Ginny's death had nearly caused him to overdose and he was feeling the repercussions of it now. He couldn't face his family like this.

"Hey."

He kept his eyes cast down; knowing her voice anywhere. He hadn't seen her since the summer after her first year of college. She spent most of her trip hiding a black eye she had assured everyone she'd gotten from a foul ball at a baseball game. Jesse knew better.

"Your moms worried about you. She said you stormed out of the church and shoved Badger into a flower arrangement."

"He gets on my fucking nerves." His voice was rough with exhaustion and he couldn't bring himself to look up at her. Brooke frowned. "What are you doing here anyway?"

He instantly regretted his words - looking up to see the hurt on her pretty face. She was all grown up now - taller than he remembered with a perfectly body beneath her simple black dress.

"Brooke, I'm sorry. Fuck. I am so fucked up."

She sat down beside him carefully - placing her arm around his back as a sob escaped him. Ginny was just as much family to Brooke as she was to him. She had been a good aunt and now she was gone; just like Brooke. He felt his heart break at the thought.

"You know you'll regret it if you don't go back and see her one last time. We'll wait till the guest leave - let's go get some coffee."

"Where's your asshole boyfriend?"

Brooke met Jesse's eyes - her frown deepening. She had met Derek her freshmen year of college - bringing him home that winter break to meet her family. Jesse stayed gone the entire time she'd been in town. "Not here." She repeated his previous words to him and stood from the table - reaching for his hand. Jesse stared at her for a long minute before he placed his hand in hers and stepped off the picnic table.

X

 _When I got the invite I knew it was to late._

 _I know - her daddy's been dreading this day,_

 _He don't know he ain't the only one - giving her away._

 _I'll wear my black suit, black tie - wait in the back._

 _I'll do a strong shot of whiskey,_

 _Straight out the flask._

 _I'll try to make it through without crying,_

 _So nobody sees._

 _She wants to get married,_

 _But she don't wanna marry me._

Two weeks later.

Jesse stood outside of Brooke's childhood home wearing the same outfit she'd seen him in last. He felt like he was going to another funeral - he might as well dress accordingly.

The door opened quickly and Brooke greeted him with her bright happy smile - pulling him into her parents home as she hugged his neck.

"I'm so glad you came." She whispered against his ear as he spotted her fiancé glaring at him among the guests. Badger, Christian and Skinny Pete we're mixed among her college friends and family. Jesse snaked an arm around her skinny waist and pulled her into his embrace, grinning at Derek the asshole.

"I wouldn't miss it." He lied - Pete had to practically beg him to get out of bed this morning.

" _You'll regret this shit for the rest of your life if you don't go, Jess."_

So here he stood at the only girl he'd ever loved's engagement party. Brooke kissed his cheek and spun around in her pale pink dress - disappearing into the crowd.

" _I had to come home for a few days and Derek had finals coming up so he was stuck at school. When I got back he was waiting for me at the airport on one knee. It was so romantic."_

" _When's the date?!"_ Someone asked. Brooke smiled towards Derek and took his offered hand. " _We were thinking about an autumn wedding."_

Everyone made that sickening aww noise as Brooke told their engagement story; Jesse kept to himself in the back of the crowd - drinking anything that burned going down.

X

October 2008, Three months later.

Brooke's POV

"Hello?"

"Hey, yo, Brooke? It's Skinny."

Brooke sat up on her parents couch and glanced over to her fiancé - who was engrossed with something on TV.

"Hey."

"Listen. Jesse's been hurt bad. He's down here in the hospital. I tried calling his moms but she wouldn't come and I've got this job now that I kind of need, ya know? I just hate for him to be here alone..."

"Shit. Ok. Is he ok?"

Derek looked up from the TV now.

"The doctors say he'll be ok. He's got some broken ribs and a busted up face."

Tears began to pool in her eyes as she stood from the couch and moved into the kitchen.

"Alright. I'm on my way - ok? Just, don't leave him until I can get there."

Brooke closed her cellphone quickly and grabbed her keys from the table - turning back to Derek as he sat dumbfounded on the couch. They were getting married in two days and he was going to be pissed when she told him where she had to go.

"What is it?" He asked, standing and closing the space between them quickly. Her parents had went out to dinner leaving them alone for the night. "It's Jesse. He's in the hospital. I've got to go check on him."

Derek grabbed her arm suddenly - jerking her towards him.

"You need to let that crack head go, Brooke. We're getting married. You can't just run off every time he fucks up!"

Brooke jerked her arm away from him only to be slammed back against the kitchen door - the knob brushing her side instantly. She winced - holding her arm up to try and block his fist as it came towards her.

"If you fucking run off to that junkie we're done."

"Jesse's like a brother to me, Derek. Pete has to get to work and he'll be all alone. I have to go make sure he's ok."

Derek narrowed his eyes, watching as she cradled the arm he attacked.

"Whatever, Brooke. Fuck!" He shoved her into the door again before turning and disappearing through the house. She heard the bathroom door slam and the shower turn on before she turned and left the house quickly.

X

Jesse opened his eyes slowly - blinking as Brooke came into view - her blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she put her hand in his; concern across her face.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice hoarse - eyes closing as he winced in pain. "I don't know what happened to you. Pete was here but he had to go to work so I came as soon as he called me. Jesus, Jesse. What have you got yourself into?"

Jesse groaned, memories of Tuco creeping back into his mind. "Trust me you don't want to know anything about it. What is today? Did I miss your wedding?"

Brooke frowned, eyeing the nasty looking bruise on her inner wrist before looking at Jesse again. His eyes followed hers - narrowing as he tried to sit himself up in the bed.

"Tomorrow." She assured quietly as he mustered up all his strength and pulled her arm to his line of sight to get a better view.

"Why the fuck would you marry someone who does this to you? What the fucks his problem?"

"He was just mad."

"What the fuck could make someone mad enough to make a bruise like that?"

"You, Jesse. He's mad because I love you more than him. It's not his fault."

"This!" He lifted her arm again, wincing in pain. "This is his fucking fault."

Brooke took her hand from his; covering her arm as one of the nurses walked in. Jesse could only glare at her as she stepped back to let the hospital staff tend to him.

X

"Please don't marry him, Brooke. I've loved you since we were six fucking years old. I know I'm a piece of shit addict but I would never fucking hurt you."

Brooke tightened her grip on the steering wheel causing her knuckles to turn white.

"I can't. I can't do that to Derek and I can't keep enabling you Jesse. Look at you! You're going to get killed fucking with this shit and I just.. can't handle that."

Jesse punched the glovebox in her car - closing his eyes as pain radiated through his body. He gave her one last hard look before he opened the passenger size door and got out of her car - slamming the door behind him as he limped towards Ginny's house.

Brooke watched with blurry vision and tear stained cheeks as he disappeared into his house before driving back to her abusive fiancé.

X

She's got on her dress now,

Welcoming the guest now.

I could try to find her,

Get it off my chest now.

But I ain't gonna mess it up,

So I wish her the best now.

I'm in my black suit, black tie.

Out in the back.

Doing a strong shot of whiskey,

Straight out the flask.

I try to make it through without crying,

So nobody sees.

Yeah she's gonna get married.

She ain't gonna marry me.

Jesse sat in the back pew with his head down; his right hand clutching his left side carefully. His ribs were throbbing from Tuco's attack; his breath shallow and desperate as Badger leaned forward to glance at him from beside Combo. He kept his eyes on the small silver flask between his fingers.

"Yo, Jess. Jess. Jesse!"

"What Badger?" There had never been a more appropriate nickname for someone. "You alright brother you look like shit."

Jesse just nodded, wincing as pain radiated through his broken ribs. Suddenly, the church fell silent and that prick asshole Derek appeared at the front standing beside some other assholes Jesse didn't know. A minute later Brooke stepped through the double doors beside him taking a deep, nervous breath. He looked up at her slowly - catching her eye and his jaw nearly fell to the floor.

Brooke stood clutching a bouquet of magnolias against her silky, simple white dress; her hair pinned back - blue eyes blazing as she watched the heart break fall across Jesse's face. She forced herself not to frown - slowly turning her gaze up to her waiting fiancé. Jesse's eyes fell back to the flask before he took a long swig - glancing up as she made her way towards the front of the church with her dad on her arm.

"Who gives this woman away today?" The preacher asked once they stalled in front of him. Jesse gripped the flask until his knuckles turned white. "I do." Sargent Thorn assured the crowd causing Jesse to stand quickly and push through the large doors.

Two years later.

Jesse pulled his legs closer to his chest - shivering in the dessert air. Someone forgot to pull the tarp over his cage tonight. He glanced up at the night sky - idly wondering where Brooke was now. He thought about her often. Thought about how he'd managed to fuck everything in his life up yet she was always his biggest regret.

If only it would have been him instead of that asshole Derek. He wondered how different his life would be now.

One of Jack's lackeys appeared at the top of the cage - opening the door just enough to throw a bowl of chunky mystery mush down to him. The food, if that's even what it was splattered onto the concrete floor causing the asshole above him to laugh. He locked the cage back and left as quickly as he'd came - leaving Jesse alone and hungry in the dark. He glanced up to the dark sky again picturing Brooke's smile. Silent tears began to fall down his battered face.

Many miles away Brooke sat on top of an abandoned picnic table - worn from the weather and years of neglect with a black eye and deep gash across her bottom lip. Her soon to be ex-husband was sitting in a Texas drunk tank sleeping off a bottle of vodka.

Brooke looked up at the blank night sky, feeling a familiar pain in her chest. She hadn't seen Jesse since her wedding and she could only pray he had gotten clean and got as far away from here as possible. Silent tears fell past her chin as she hung her head, burying her face in her hands as a sob escaped her.

X

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	2. Chapter 2

A/N: There's always more! Thanks for the reviews! I hope this doesn't disappoint as I'm mostly writing and uploading on my iPhone now. Keep the reviews coming!

X

"What the hell are you doing here?" Brooke's voice was cold - eyes glaring as Derek stood at her parents front door with a look of pure hate in his eyes. Their divorce was finalized two weeks ago but he continued to harass her, blow up her phone and despite the restraining order show up at her parents house at least once a week. She felt like she would never be free of him.

"I just want to talk to you, Brooke. You won't give me two fucking minutes to explain myself!"

His eyes were red; words slurred as he forced himself through the threshold - shoving Brooke backwards hard enough to cause her to fall on her ass. Before she could react he was on top of her - his hands around her neck.

Her mom ran into the kitchen quickly - a look of panic on her face.

"Derek! Stop!"

Another long moment passed with his hands around her throat before he finally let up - glancing towards his ex mother-in-law.

"Brooke. Derek just wants to talk to you. See if you guys can work this out."

Brooke clutched her throat; glaring at her mother. "Work this out?! You've both lost your fucking minds." She stood on shaky legs - grabbing her purse and keys form the counter as she shoved past Derek with all her might - causing him to stumble backwards. Her mother could only watch as she sprinted across the lawn, nearly leaping into her car before speeding off down the street.

X

She found herself parked at the high school football field, lights off - the only other sign of life coming from a wrecked El Camino a few feet away. Brooke sighed, swallowing hard as she remembered Derek's strong hands around her neck and the thought of her mother thinking for a second she would consider giving him a second of her time. After everything he's done.

Brooke wiped at the silent tears that fell down her cheeks, opening her car door and stepping out into the cool night air of Albuquerque. Twenty steps and then a large overgrown bush and she was staring at the picnic table where her and Jesse used to spend most of their free time. Whenever life was getting to be to much they found each other here.

Brooke felt the air leave her lungs.

Jesse was sitting on top of the picnic table staring down at a revolver in his hands. He looked awful - hair shaggy and unkempt with scars across his handsome face. Her heart broke at the sight of him.

She stepped closer to him; trying not to startle the broken man holding a gun.

"Brooke?" Jesse asked, voice deep but broken with neglect as he turned his head to her. "How...?" He couldn't find the words as she closed the space between them quickly - standing between his parted legs as he placed the gun down beside himself on the table.

"Jesus, Jesse. What's happened to you?"

He looked absolutely broken - no warmth in his eyes as he stared at her as if she were a ghost. Brooke studied his face - every new scar and his unruly beard; her frown deepened. Jesse finally let his gaze fall - new tears welling up in his swollen red eyes as Brooke seemed to see into his black soul. A sob escaped him as she pulled her oldest friend into her embrace; holding him against her chest as he cried.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours until he finally regained his composure and pulled away from her embrace; truly seeing her for the first time. She looked like hell - not much better than him with tears in her eyes and bruises on her neck. Seeing her like this - the faint traces of a black eye and the healing gash in her lower lip brought him back to life.

"That mother fucker." He growled, touching her face with his fingertips as her eyes closed. Tears fell down her cheeks quickly. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, Jesse. It would have saved me a lot of trouble." She whispered as a single laugh escaped him - assuring her the same thing. Had he listened to her constant pleas about getting help, quitting dope and bettering himself... he couldn't even begin to imagine how different the past few years could have been.

A car door slammed somewhere near the tree line as Derek began to yell her name.

"Shit." Brooke muttered, putting some space between herself and Jesse. "How the hell could he have found this place."

Jesse slid off the picnic table - grabbing his gun as he put his arm out motioning for Brooke to get behind him.

"Jesse, you can't..."

Derek emerged through the bushes quickly - glaring at the scene before him.

"I should have fucking known you'd be with this fuck up." He growled, stopping dead in his tracks as Jesse pointed the gun at his head. "Take another step asshole and I'll fucking waste you."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "Looks like the crackhead finally grew some balls. I ain't got no problem with you asshole, I just want to talk to Brooke."

Jesse pulled the hammer back on the revolver - it would take less than a thought to kill this abusive piece of shit.

He felt Brooke's hand on his side; moving up to touch his arm. "Jesse, please don't do this."

This caused him to glance over at Brooke - a look of concern across her pretty battered face.

"Why?! Why do you still protect him after everything he's done to you?!"

Jesse raised his voice, words broken as he began to shake uncontrollably - watching as Derek's face morphed into Gales innocence then back to Brooke's smug asshole of a husband.

Brooke slid her hand over his - taking the gun from his grasp.

"I don't give a shit about him." She assured, aiming the gun at Derek. This time his eyes narrowed. "You're not going to shoot me, bitch."

The bang of the gun echoed through the deserted streets as Derek fell to the ground in agony, grabbing his leg as blood rushed out.

"You stupid bitch!" He screamed, eyes wide as Brooke walked towards him - pulling the hammer back once again. This time she pressed the gun into his chin - causing Derek to fall dead silent. "If you don't disappear I swear to God next time I'll put one in your fucking brain." With that said Brooke kicked him between the legs causing him to fall over in tears.

Jesse stared at his childhood friend with wide eyes, his hands in tight fists at his sides as he tried to will away the panic attack forming in his chest. His breathing began to pick up; chest heaving as he returned to the picnic table and sat down quickly.

"It just grazed his thigh. He's fine - just an over dramatic pussy."

Jesse ran a hand over his face - taking in useless breaths as he continued to shake violently - fishing a cigarette out of his jacket pocket before trying desperately to hold the lighter still enough to light it.

Brooke took the lighter from his grasp and flicked it alive - holding it steady for him as he took in a deep needed drag of nicotine.

"Th-thanks."

"What happened to you?"

His eyes fell as he put the smoke to his lips again - shaking his head no.

"If you knew the shit I've done since I seen you last you'd leave from here screaming." He muttered, glancing down at the motionless asshole a few feet away. "You beat any women lately?" Brooke asked quickly causing him to look up at her then shake his head no. "Good enough for me. Let's go."

Jesse watched her carefully as she offered her hand - giving him a moment before he took it and she guided him back to her waiting car.

"Is there anything left here for you?" She asked quietly as he flicked his cigarette away and sat down in her passengers seat; fixating his eyes out the window. "No. I came back to check in on a kid who's long gone. Stopped at mom's - I could see them sitting at the dinner table through the window; laughing with Jake. I couldn't bring myself to go to the door. This is as far as I made it."

Thoughts of his earlier intentions with that gun slowly crept back into the back of his mind.

"Let's go." Brooke whispered, glancing over at him. "Where?"

"Anywhere."

X


End file.
